Ireland Part 2
As we continued through the island, we ventured toward Killarney, Blarney, and Waterford. Once here we headed to the Blarney Castle and Grounds to climb up and kiss the Blarney Stone! Legend has it that kissing this infamous stone is said to give one the “gift of gab”. This is no easy task! Flight after flight of narrow winding staircase leads up to the tip top of Blarney castle where you must lay on your back and bend backwards just to kiss the stone while someone holds your legs to keep you from a potential not so pleasant fall!
This evening was most definitely one of my favorites of the trip. As we drove through Waterford to the coast, we picked up a local musician and we headed off to a 300 year old pub for drinks and singing around the fireplace! And let’s not forget on the way, we got to stop and catch a glimpse of the oldest working lighthouse! Literally breathtaking! Back to this pub though, Hayes’. Up until just a bit ago it was run by a little lady named Aggie. 4 foot 2 inches of not so nice, she tended to the pub well into her 90’s. And her portrait still hangs here to this day! There’s a huge amount of history here as told by our entertainment from the night! Nothing more authentic than a thatched roof pub on the shores of Ireland filled with the clinking of glasses, the songs of the island, and the laughs of visitors!
Our last full day was a great adventure through Kilkenny, its shops, castles, outdoor markets, and more. We even stumbled upon some street tacos! I loved this day! We toured Kilkenny Castle Park and then headed off to a local coffee shop for pastries and tea. We waited out a bit of rain here but not for long. Then we spent the afternoon browsing the shops and checking out an amazing outdoor day market. Fresh local wines, cheese, veggies, fish, everything you could possibly imagine! It was definitely an experience for all the senses! We ended our last night at Taylor’s Three Rock with an authentic Irish meal, drinks, and traditional Irish dancers! It was the perfect way to end an absolutely fantastic trip!
While this time of year is considered the off season for visiting, we were met by amazing weather, very low crowds, and no shortage of amazing sights and experiences. While I can’t guarantee the weather would always be this good in the later fall, the value of this trip, etc was outstanding, especially since we lucked out on the weather. I can say that this trip to the Emerald Isle is not something I will ever forget. I cannot say enough good things about the experience, the tour, the country, just everything! I highly recommend visiting Europe in this way if you are at all unsure about navigating an adventure across the pond!
